Golf world and beyond reacts to Tiger Woods’ apology

Commissioner supportive after statement

February 19, 2010|By Jeff Shain, Tribune Newspapers

Reaction from across the golf sphere – and elsewhere – to Tiger Woods' apology speech:

Notah Begay III, PGA Tour golfer and former Stanford teammate: "I was emotional and got a little choked up. … It's tough to get any man in America just to go to marriage counseling, let alone go into a 45-day rehabilitation. Plus he's going back tomorrow, and that tells me that he's trying to learn about the issues."

Tim Finchem, PGA Tour commissioner: "There's some anger in quarters, but mainly it's a sense of sadness. He's an American hero and he's had these issues. But at the end of the day, he's a human being. We all make mistakes, we all have made mistakes. And when we're lucky, we learn from those mistakes and get to be better people. It seems to me that's the course he's on."

Stewart Cink, British Open champion: "It sounded heartfelt to me. It sounds like it was a really difficult thing for him to do. And from a guy that's done a lot of tough things in golf over the years, it was probably one of the most difficult things he's ever had to do. It was something probably that's going to help him along the way of healing."

George Stephanopoulos, ABC "Good Morning America" anchor: "One of the most remarkable public apologies ever by a public figure. … He left nothing on the table. This is a man who has thought a lot about what he did."

Kultida Woods, Tiger's mother: "You know what? I'm so proud to be his mother, period. This thing, it teaches him, just like golf. When he changes a swing, he wants to get better. He will start getting better, it's just like that. Golf is just like life — when you make a mistake, you learn from your mistake and move on stronger. That's the way he is."

David Feherty, CBS golf analyst: "I have never seen him appear so vulnerable. ... I was very impressed with what he said."

Shaun White, two-time Olympic snowboarding gold medalist: "It's a bummer, his personal life. He's trying to pick his words very carefully and apologize. I respect that."

Ben Crane, three-time PGA Tour winner: "I thought it was an amazing conference. I thought Tiger was very humble. And you know what? I think we all love him as a golfer and as a family man. We want to see what's best for him, and I think everything he did is going to help him get back soon and help him."

Julia Mancuso, three-time Olympic medalist (via Twitter): "do we think this is coming from the heart or the paper! come on Tiger! give us some reality here"

Veronica Siwik-Daniels, aka porn star Joslyn James, who claims to have had a three-year affair with Woods: "I would be open to a telephone apology from Tiger, but I really feel that I deserve to look at him in person — face to face, in his eyes — because I didn't deserve this. … He knows that I was very straight and honest with him, but for a long time he lied to me. I never wanted to cause Elin, Sam or Charlie any pain, but I'm not the sole cause."